Digital News Report- A police officer has been shot and killed in Northern Ireland during an attack by the Real Irish Republican Army (IRA). This marks the third member of security forces to be killed in the past 48 hours. The most recent attack took place while the officer was investigating suspicious activity near a secondary school at Brownlow. An unconfirmed report claims that a second officer was injured during the attack. The last officers killed by the Provisional IRA occurred in June 1997 in the same area.

The Real IRA, which was the result of a split in the IRA in the 1990’s, claimed responsibility for the latest attack. The Real IRA is also responsible for the single worst act of violence during “The Troubles” in Northern Ireland when they detonated a 500-pound car bomb in the small market town of Omagh in 1998. The attack killed 29 people and injured more than 200.

The recent waves of attacks by the IRA began last November. There have been 18 attacks launched using bombs, landmines, guns, and booby traps since last November. The Independent Monitoring Commission, which reports on terrorist activity every six months, said both the Real IRA and the Continuity IRA were “particularly active” last year, though the majority of assaults have been the work of the Real IRA, which poses, “serious and continuing threat… to lives”.

Shaun Woodward, the Northern Ireland Secretary, described the recent deadly attack in Antrim at theh Massereene Barracks. “The soldiers came out of the main gate of the barracks. The cars delivering the pizzas were parked fewer than ten yards away. As they did so, two masked gunmen opened fire.

“The initial volley of shots was followed by a second. The attackers clearly were intent to kill both the soldiers and the civilians. They continued firing at the men even when injured, even when some had fallen to the ground. The firing lasted for more than 30 seconds. More than 60 shots were fired. Neither the soldiers nor the civilians had a chance against the premeditated attempt at mass murder.”

Woodward went on to call the perpetrators “brutal and cowardly killers.” He added, “We are all united in our resolve that the criminals will not succeed.” The threat-level for Irish related terrorism has been raised from Substantial to Severe as a result of the attack.

“I certainly would want to offer my sympathies and condolences to the family of the officer who has been murdered tonight and to the wider police family,” said Dolores Kelly, a member of the nationalist SDLP.

“We are tonight staring into the abyss,” she said. “I would appeal to people to pull back.”

Officers are currently sifting through hours of CCTV footage in an attempt to identify the killers. A green Vauxhall Cavalier was found five miles from the base and is believed to be an escape vehicle. The car was bought only two weeks ago and evidence suggests there was an attempt to light it on fire.

Detective Chief Superintendent Derek Williamson said, “We need people with information, particularly people who clearly will know exactly who was involved here, to take the courageous step to come forward and provide us with the information they know.”